The invention falls into the general category of electronic testing devices; more particularly, the device simulates terrain return (clutter) for testing radar systems at RF and in real-time.
Prior to the invention, the simulations of terrain echo returns has been accomplished by devices falling in either one of two categories. The first category of prior art techniques simulates clutter effects only at low-speed or non-real-time. Providing terrain echo returns in non-real-time is not useful in testing of actual radar equipment. The radar transmitter/receiver never actually "sees" the clutter effect in actual operation: the noise of terrain echo returns is simply added to the target data at different noise levels while the system engineers speculate on the possibility of target data being obscured during actual radar operation.
The second category of prior art techniques simulates clutter effects in real-time. However, real-time clutter generators usually require simplifications, such as signals only partially representative of clutter properties and not tailored to the reflectivity of specific detailed landscapes. Thus, many tests of radar systems omit detailed clutter, leaving doubt on detection and track performance.
In view of the foregoing discussion it is apparent that there exists the need for a clutter generator that simulates terrain echo returns operating in real-time with the capability of simulating echo characteristics in realistic detail. The present invention is directed towards satisfying that need.